Kelly was appointed Police Commissioner of the City of New York in January 2002 by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, making him the first person to hold the post for a second, separate tenure. He also served as Police Commissioner under Mayor David N. Dinkins from 1992-1994. A proud Irish-American he traces his roots to Roscommon and Tipperary.

During the ceremony Kelly paid special tribute to heroic police officers Detective Kevin Brennan and Detective Kevin Herlihy, who both sustained serious injuries in the line of duty recently. The two detectives, who were also present, received a standing ovation from the crowd of over 200 people.

Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times journalist Maureen Dowd presented the 2012 Irish Spirit award to Arthur and Barbara Gelb, who are best known for best known for “O’Neill,” their seminal biography of Eugene O’Neill.

Also inducted into the Irish America Hall of Fame at the event were Famed architect Kevin Roche, Mutual of America Chairman Tom Moran, American Ireland Fund Chairwoman Loretta Brennan Glucksman, Quinnipiac University President John Lahey.

The Irish America Hall of Fame honors the extraordinary achievements of Irish- Americans leaders—from their significant accomplishments and contributions to American society, to their personal commitment to safeguarding their Irish heritage and the betterment of Ireland.

Irish America Hall of Fame was founded in 2010 to honor the extraordinary achievements of Irish-American leaders, from their significant contributions to American society to the personal commitment to safeguarding their Irish heritage and the betterment of Ireland. The Hall is housed at the Dunbrody Famine Ship, and National Emigration Centre in New Ross, Co. Wexford, ancestral town of John F. Kennedy. Last year’s inaugural Hall of Fame event was attended by honorees president Bill Clinton and dancer Michael Flatley.

To read the full details on the 2012 Irish America Hall of Fame inductees click here.